Category Archive: Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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Carnegie Library lands lot for $1
By Tony LaRussa
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, September 15, 2006The Urban Redevelopment Authority on Thursday agreed to give the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh a vacant lot on the North Side to build a replacement for the library branch that was heavily damaged by a lightning strike in early April.
The development agency’s board voted unanimously to transfer a 16,500-square-foot lot at 1210 Federal St. to the library for $1, despite complaints by half a dozen people who believe the old Allegheny Regional branch at 5 Allegheny Square on the North Side should remain a library once repairs to the building are made.“Some decisions have to go past the business sense and must take into consideration historical importance, heritage and the importance to the community,” said Stephen Pietzak, of the South Side.
A lightning bolt that struck the clock tower of the old building, built in 1890, hurled chunks of granite through sections of the building’s roof, causing an estimated $2 million in damage.
Repairs to the historic building, which is owned by the City of Pittsburgh, will be covered by insurance. The Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation has agreed to work with the city to find another use for the building.
Library officials believe the building — the first of the public libraries built by steel magnate Andrew Carnegie — no longer fits the vision of what a contemporary library should be, said Barbara Mistick, executive director of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.
“In addition to being expensive to operate, it is not very open and inviting, which is especially important for children,” Mistick said. “And it is difficult to add the technology that has become vital to the services we provide.”
The building also is not fully accessible to people with physical disabilities, she said.
Increasingly, Carnegie officials have placed a higher priority on whether a library is conveniently located on public transportation lines and is able to provide the amenities patrons have come to expect, over the historic value of the structure.
Mistick said a time frame and cost of construction for the new library have yet to be determined.
In addition to approving the property transfer, the redevelopment authority board voted to apply to the state for $7.5 million in redevelopment grants on behalf of the Carnegie Library, which is in the midst of a $55 million capital campaign to renovate its branches.
The library has raised about $32.5 million. Six of its 19 branches have either been moved to newer buildings or renovated.
Tony LaRussa can be reached at tlarussa@tribweb.com or (412) 320-7987.
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Bridges for sale — really
By staff and wire reports
Thursday, September 14, 2006Con artists have tried to sell the Brooklyn Bridge for years, but now two bridges in Pennsylvania really are for sale. First, PennDOT wants to sell the West Hickory Bridge on State Route 0127 over the Allegheny River in Hickory, Forest County. The bridge, 695 feet long and 16 feet wide, was built in 1896 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Interested? Call 1-814-678-7008. Also, Nyleve Bridge Corp. wants to sell its 467-foot-long temporary structure that once took the Norfolk Southern Railroad across State Route 309, near the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s Fort Washington Exit, Montgomery County. The steel bridge is being replaced by a permanent bridge. Call 1-610-965-3083 for details.
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Point Breeze: Council delays vote on Walgreens Proposal
By staff and wire reports
Thursday, September 14, 2006Pittsburgh City Council delayed a preliminary vote Wednesday on a controversial plan to build a Walgreens drug store in Point Breeze.
More than a dozen residents who live near the proposed site at the corner of Penn and South Braddock avenues implored council members to vote against changing a sliver of residentially zoned land to commercially zoned land.
The change would allow Walgreens developers to build a drive-through window lane where three Victorian homes currently stand. Developers have agreements to buy the homes, which would be demolished.
The matter will go before City Council again for a vote Sept. 27.
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History & Landmarks Foundation eyes 3 buildings
By Jeremy Boren
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, August 9, 2006The Urban Redevelopment Authority plans to sell three historic buildings on the edge of Market Square to the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation, which wants to renovate them into retail and residential space.
URA Executive Director Jerry Dettore expects board approval Thursday to sell the buildings for $257,000.
“The buildings in Market Square are considered historic, so the preservation of them and the restoration of them is something that everyone would like to see,” Dettore said Tuesday.
Officials with the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership have expressed interest in moving into one of the renovated buildings.
Before the sale is complete, the URA must purchase one city-owned building, next to the restaurant Ciao Baby, for $40,000. Once that’s done, the three buildings near the corner of Fifth Avenue and Graeme Street can be sold to History & Landmarks.
Foundation Director Arthur Ziegler could not be reached for comment.
Dettore said renovations could begin quickly.
“Just to begin to see some construction activity in the Fifth & Forbes corridor is going to show people that the revitalization (Downtown) is real,” he said, noting that renovations to the former Lazarus-Macy’s Building are under way. Millcraft Industries, of Washington County, is developing retail and grocery space on the first floor and housing on upper floors.
Dettore said the board also will consider giving a $200,000 state Department of Community and Economic Development loan and $5,000 technology grant to Strip District-based lamp shade manufacturer J. Harris & Sons. The money would allow the company to buy manufacturing equipment and expand with 50 more employees.
Jeremy Boren can be reached at jboren@tribweb.com or (412) 765-2312.
This article appeared in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review © Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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Bell tower repairs at courthouse to be made soon
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, August 8, 2006Work is expected to begin shortly on two of the four bell towers that ring at Allegheny County’s historic courthouse, Downtown.
Driving wind and rain from the remnants of Hurricane Ivan in 2004 damaged masonry joints on the two towers nearest Ross Street, said Joe Olczak, county maintenance director.County maintenance workers did temporary repairs, but the damage requires more expertise than that team has, he said.
The selected contractor will clean out the mortar between the joints and replace it with sturdier material, Olczak said.
Because bids have not yet been open, specific cost information cannot be made public, said Megan Dardanell, a county spokeswoman.
The project was provided for in the county’s 2006 capital budget under roof repairs, however.
Once the contract is awarded, the contractor has 90 days to complete the project.
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Downtown is rife with stone beasts
By Bethany Hofstetter
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, July 28, 2006It’s a jungle out there. Just look up.
Hiding in plain sight on Downtown’s high-rises, lions gnash their teeth at passing cars, eagles and griffins perch above doorways, and dragons threaten to breathe fire on passers-by.
“(Architects) used these animals for decoration, maybe like a flamingo on a lawn today,” says docent Gabe Funaro, of Mt. Lebanon, who leads a city safari of these architectural creatures and gargoyles with Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation’s Downtown Dragon tour.
“It makes the building unique,” Funaro says. “People may not know what the building is, but they will remember that it is the fish building.”
Past the peaceful storefronts of Station Square, Funaro finds a fierce beast with a dog’s face guarding a fountain. The winged animal once stared down at traffic from the side of a now-demolished Liberty Avenue building, but today, its eyes focus over the reflective pool, protecting the pennies and wishes thrown into the water.
Across the Smithfield Street Bridge is the House Building, two blocks from the Mon River, where two creatures splash out of the side of the building. Called a catfish and dolphin by bystanders, the adornments have no real purpose.
Louis Martorella, owner of Buon Giorno, walks into the building every morning to open his restaurant but isn’t fazed by the fangs sticking out of the open mouths of the fish.
“I don’t notice them much, but people from out of town always look up,” Martorella says.
Funaro weaves through the sidewalk traffic to a 116-year-old building, now an attorneys’ office. Claws of a winged dragon grip the sandstone facade, and the beast snarls from its perch toward a parking garage across the street.
Safely on the ground, Funaro walks past the creature and ducks under a low tree branch as he makes his way to Fourth Street. Turning the corner, he stands face-to-face with a giant lion at the entrance to Dollar Bank but doesn’t blink an eye.
“They don’t look ferocious,” Funaro says. “They are more warm, catlike lions.”
One large brown lion sits erect, watching visitors ascend the steps to the bank and looking toward its brother resting its head on a paw.
Across the street, dragons guard their home turf on the Fidelity Building. Puffing out their chests, fire curls out of their mouths above the arched doorways.
These creatures are called grotesques, as opposed to gargoyles, because they serve no function. Gargoyles are built into a structure to spit water away from a building; today’s architects use gutters.
The few real gargoyles left in Pittsburgh are at the top of the First Presbyterian Church, Downtown. Beasts, poised with their mouths open, prepare to empty rain water toward the ground.
In contrast to the angelic and religious windows of the church, the gargoyles sneer on the outside of the building. That doesn’t bother Mary Jane Snyder, church secretary and receptionist, who finds working in the architecturally unique building awe-inspiring.
“Gargoyles serve a functional purpose,” Snyder says. “I don’t know that it would be terribly charming to have water conducted through an angel.”
Bethany Hofstetter can be reached at bhofstetter@tribweb.com or 412-380-5687.
This article appeared in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review © Pittsburgh Tribune Review
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Carved creatures
By Bethany Hofstetter
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, July 27, 2006It’s a jungle out there. Just look up.
Hiding in plain sight on Downtown’s high-rises, lions gnash their teeth at passing cars, eagles and griffins perch above doorways, and dragons threaten to breathe fire on passersby.Docent Gabe Funaro, of Mt. Lebanon, leads a “city safari” of these architectural creatures and gargoyles with Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation’s Downtown Dragon tour.
Past the peaceful storefronts of Station Square, Funaro finds a fierce beast with a dog’s face guarding a fountain. The winged animal once stared down at traffic from the side of a now-demolished Liberty Avenue building, but today, its eyes focus over the reflective pool, protecting the pennies and wishes thrown into the water.
Across the Smithfield Street Bridge is the House Building, two blocks from the Mon River, where two creatures splash out of the side of the building. Called a catfish and dolphin by bystanders, the adornments have no real purpose.
“(Architects) used these animals for decoration, maybe like a flamingo on a lawn today,” Funaro said. “It makes the building unique. People may not know what the building is, but they will remember that it is the fish building.”
Louis Martorella, owner of Buon Giorno, walks into the building every morning to open his restaurant but isn’t fazed by the fangs sticking out of the open mouths of the fish.
“I don’t notice them much, but people from out of town always look up,” Martorella said.
Funaro weaves through the sidewalk traffic to a 116-year-old building, now an attorneys’ office. Claws of a winged dragon grip the sandstone facade, and the beast snarls from its perch toward a parking garage across the street.
Safely on the ground, Funaro walks past the creature and ducks under a low tree branch as he makes his way to Fourth Street. Turning the corner, he stands face-to-face with a giant lion at the entrance to Dollar Bank but doesn’t blink an eye.
“They don’t look ferocious,” Funaro said. “They are more warm, catlike lions.”
One large brown lion sits erect, watching visitors ascend the steps to the bank and looking toward its brother resting its head on a paw.
Across the street, dragons guard their home turf on the Fidelity Building. Puffing out their chests, fire curls out of their mouths above the arched doorways.
These creatures are not gargoyles; they’re called grotesques, because they serve no function. Gargoyles are built into a structure to spit water away from a building; today’s architects use gutters.
The few real gargoyles left in Pittsburgh are at the top of the First Presbyterian Church, Downtown. Beasts, poised with their mouths open, prepare to empty rain water toward the ground.
In contrast to the angelic and religious windows of the church, the gargoyles sneer on the outside of the building. That doesn’t bother Mary Jane Snyder, church secretary and receptionist, who finds working in the architecturally unique building awe-inspiring.
“Gargoyles serve a functional purpose,” Snyder said. “I don’t know that it would be terribly charming to have water conducted through an angel.”
Bethany Hofstetter can be reached at bhofstetter@tribweb.com or 412-380-5687.
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Costly rehab down the line
By Jim Ritchie
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Monday, July 24, 2006The iconic Monongahela and Duquesne Heights inclines each day crawl up and down Mt. Washington’s steep hillside, inching ever closer to needing a costly rehabilitation.
Port Authority of Allegheny County directors say the price tag to keep the cars running could reach $40 million — and some want civic, corporate or historical groups to help pay, so the financially struggling agency isn’t forced to spend money that could be used to replace buses or light-rail cars or to pave busways.
“We’ve got to be looking at ways to generate revenue,” authority board member James Dodaro said. “It is a community asset, and it’s something the community should have an interest in preserving. It’s something that shouldn’t be a drain on the Port Authority.”
Some incline riders agree the inclines are an asset for the city and like the idea of having community groups help pay for their long-term upkeep. More than 1.1 million people use the inclines annually.
“When I go Downtown and have to do business, I use it,” said Mt. Washington resident Raymond Batykefer, who rides the Mon Incline frequently. “It’s cheaper, saves me the cost of parking, and it’s pretty efficient.”
The 136-year-old Mon Incline and 129-year-old Duquesne Heights Incline are in good working condition, and a major renovation isn’t anticipated soon. But the authority, which faces a $31.5 million deficit in its 2006-07 budget, anticipates future incline expenses.
“This board has made it a point to direct the staff to try and discover new funding streams wherever possible, and that includes funding streams for projects like this down the road,” Port Authority spokesman Bob Grove said.
Port Authority could tap its capital budget — more than $200 million this year — to pay for improvements, Grove said. But any money spent on inclines is money the agency won’t have to improve bus and subway service.
Finding money elsewhere would not be easy, local nonprofit officials say.
The Allegheny Regional Asset District planned to allocate nearly $75 million this year, but largely focuses on helping parks, libraries and civic organizations — not transit or public works projects.
“There’s nothing right now that would make their application ineligible, but it would be an entirely new direction,” said David Donahoe, executive director of the asset district.
The Greater Pittsburgh Convention & Visitors Bureau markets the region but does not help secure money.
“We do not get involved in bricks-and-mortar,” Executive Vice President Bob Imperata said. “Having said that, we’re very conscious of the need to have attractions like the Mon and Duquesne inclines. They’re very valuable assets and important tourist attractions. We market them extensively.”
The bureau has considered using the inclines as a symbol for Pittsburgh’s tourism industry, similar to San Francisco’s cable cars or the St. Louis Gateway Arch, Imperata said.
Advertising companies have pushed local officials to adopt the symbol so they could market incline trinkets, he said.
“This is so historical,” Octavia Coburn, of Rankin, said after riding the Mon Incline. “They’ve got to keep it going. People come here and look for the inclines.”
“This is Pittsburgh — the inclines,” said her husband, Donald Coburn.
Imperata suggested Port Authority might find a corporate sponsor or sell naming rights. The authority has tried to sell naming rights for its Downtown light-rail transit stations without success.
The Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation in 1970 declared the Mon Incline a historic structure. Foundation spokeswoman Cathy McCollom said that could help the authority seek money nationwide.
“”Many of the historic preservation grants are statewide, if not throughout the U.S.,” she said.
State grants would offer up to a few hundred thousand dollars and national grants might rise to a million dollars, she said. But getting such money is a competitive process.
One possible long-term solution used elsewhere is charging tourists more money.
The Lookout Mountain Incline Railway in Chattanooga, Tenn., charges tourists $12 for a round-trip. Local commuters can buy a monthly pass that makes the fare about $1.25 per trip.
“One of the reasons we’re focused on it so much is, our incline generates about a million dollars of net revenue a year,” Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority Executive Director Tom Dugan said.
A round-trip fare on the inclines in Pittsburgh is $2.25, whether the rider is a tourist or commuter.
The Duquesne Heights Incline, although owned by Port Authority, is operated by the nonprofit Society for the Preservation of the Duquesne Incline. The group pays for maintenance by accepting contributions from foundations and other groups.
Donahoe said the group twice applied for Regional Asset District grants and was rejected.
“I can’t imagine people concerned about historic preservation not coming together to find a way to help,” McCollom said.
Jim Ritchie can be reached at jritchie@tribweb.com or (412) 320-7933.